As the catty and desperate Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice 1995, Anna Chancellor is just what Jane Austen would have wanted. There is some wonderful irony in the fact that Jane Austen is her eight times great-aunt. She was born to play Miss Bingley.

Miss Bingley:
I believe I can guess your thoughts at this moment.
Mr. Darcy:
I should imagine not.
Miss Bingley:
You are thinking how insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in such tedious company.
Mr. Darcy:
No, indeed, my mind was more agreeably engaged. I've been meditating on
the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a
pretty woman can bestow.
Miss Bingley:
And may one dare ask whose the eyes that inspire these reflections?
Mr. Darcy:
Miss Elizabeth Bennet's.
Miss Bingley:
Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I am all astonishment.

Anna Chancellor with Amanda Bynes and Kelly Preston in What a Girl Wants

Anna Chancellor as Questular Rontok in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

As Vice President of the Galaxy Questular Rontok in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, she tries unsuccessfully to hide her love for Zaphod Beeblebrox. Poor Anna, she can't even land a guy with two heads and three arms!

One of the reasons I still love writing this blog after 2 years (other than the fact that I have some of the best readers & commenters on the internet) is that together we discover some unknown gems of film or television.

Fortysomething is a 6 episode TV series from 2003 starring Anna Chancellor as the sexy wife of Hugh Laurie, a slightly befuddled medical doctor. Sort the opposite of Dr. House if you can imagine. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the eldest of 3 rather horny male offspring in this hilariously dysfunctional abode.

If you want to give it a whirl, the first episode is on YouTube here. I am afraid I will be watching this all weekend now!!!

Anna Chancellor as Lix Storm in The Hour

The Hour is a behind the scenes drama about a Cold-War era investigative news program in England. I am dying to see this one, so someone who has already watched it, please tell us all how you liked it! Anna Chancellor, Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Domenic Cooper, Tim Piggot-Smith, Juliet Stevenson...I am drooling at the thought!

Well, I certainly do appreciate the talent of Anna Chancellor in her many varied roles. I also liked her in the girly film Crush and in the recently released Hysteria. She is always fun to watch. Which are your faves of hers?

7 comments:

Oh, I love her very much! I love her Miss Bingley. But I think her favourite part of mine is in Hercule Poirot's "The chocolate Box". At least, she gets her man there! And, in fact, someone else would love to have her for herself but, alas! :D

I love her acting also. I wonder if she ever gets tired of being the rough girl we love to hate. I especially enjoy her Miss Bingley and "What a girl wants" is one of my favorite movies (of that type anyway).

Great post. I've only seen her in "P&P" and "What a Girl Wants". Love the quote of Miss Bingley's you've included there - especially love how Anna delivers the line "And may one dare ask whose the eyes that inspire these reflections?" - she gives a swivel of her own eyes imagining it's herself - gold x)

Oh, and thanks for the Fortysomething link. I love Hugh Laurie and Benedict Cumberbatch is a nice bonus ;)

You will LOVE The Hour! Even though Anna has a supporting role, she commands every scene she's in...and Romola is just divine, as always. Thanks for the Fortysomething link. I can't get enough of the 'Batch :-)